Sign



Jan. 4, 1966 L. D. BRAND 3,226,865

SIGN

Filed June 26, 1962 2 FIG! 17 F162 9 f. {i y A INVENT LOMAN Dv BR D United States Patent M 3,226,865 SIGN Loman D. Brand, Omaha, Nebr. Filed June 26, 1962,Ser.N0.'205,362 1 Claim. (Cl. 40-135) This invention relates to signs of the kind which are formed with a base of transparent material such as transparent plastic, the back side of which is engraved, for example, to form letters and more particularly, it is an object to provide a sign of this type which can be manufactured with greater economy.

Still another object is to provide a sign of this type having a greater beauty and attention-getting effect than has heretofore been available.

In the past, signs-of this type have been made by first painting one color, for example, gold in the engraved recesses used for the letters. Thereafter, the entire back side of the transparent plastic has been painted with a background color, for example, black or brown for forming a sign in which the letters stand out and are seen to be in relief with their side edges showing for a somewhat three-dimensional effect.

However, this method has a disadvantage in the cost of the careful painting needed, since, if any of the first coat of paint which goes in the letters extends over the edges of the letters, then this will show from the front of the sign providing letters with an unsightly appearance.

A further object is to provide a method of making a sign which involves coating a sheet of transparent material on its back side with paint. This can be swiftly done because it involves merely covering a broad area without any need to fill in symbol recesses, which are at this stage of my method, not yet formed. Next, the back side of the sign is engraved to form symbol recesses. This engraving cuts away the paint, making the sign transparent at the letters and serves the double purpose of removing the paint and formingthe three-dimensional letter or symbol engraving.

It is an object to provide for light to pass through the symbol recesses by means of placing a reflection member in a position to extend across the entrance to the symbol recesses.

A particular object is to provide the reflection member as a member sufliciently stiff to hold its form whereby it can be easily handled for insertion into position behind the transparent sheet, and easily removed therefrom, perhaps [for replacement by a reflection sheet having a reflection surface of a different color for varieety.

A further object is to provide a sign as described, the light reflective surface of which is formed of a luminescent or a fluorescent, or other especially light reflective material, such as, for example, highly polished metal.

In this way, it is an object to provide a sign that has letters which require no special individual painting for achieving economy.

It is a further object to provide in this way a sign which has engraved letters which receive light not only from the reflective back covering, but would also receive light which has bounced from all sides of an engraved letter recess and which has even bounced from the face of the letter recess,whereby not only the sides but the face receive a multiple amount of light from this bouncing or glancing of light rays. In this way, it is an object to provide a sign with letters or images all of which are especially highlighted and especially brilliant.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, drawings and claims, the scope of the invention not being limited to the drawings themselves 3,226,865 Patented Jan. 4, 1936 as the drawings are'o'nly for the purpose of illustrating 'a way in which the principles of this invention can be applied. 7

Other embodiments of the invention utilizing the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as described by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a frontal elevation of the sign of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the sign as seen along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, but with a reflection member removed.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged detail taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 1, showing a reflection member in place. FIGURE '4 is a view similar'to FIGURE 3, but which illustrates a prior art way of making a sign in which symbol recesses are coated with paint.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG- URE 1, a sheet of transparent material is there shown at 10 having a plurality of symbol recesses '12 in it's back side, each representing a letter or'other symbol.

The sheet of transparent material 10 is preferably a sheet of cast acrylic plastic material, although it could also be sand blasted glass.

A layer of opaque material best seen at 16 in FIG- URE 3 is disposed across the back side 20 of the transparent sheet 10.

The opaque material 16 can be a layer of paint or preferably lacquer bonded to the sheet 10 by its natural clinging properties. Or, the layer of material 16 can be any one of many opaque materials maintained close to v the sheet 10.

A reflection member 30 is disposed across the back side of the sign in a position for extending across a symbol recess '12 and preferably across all of the symbol recesses 12 that there are in the sign.

The reflection member 30 has a forward reflection surface 40 which spans the entrance to the symbol recess 12 whereby light shining through the transparent material of the sheet 10 from the forward side 50 thereof will strike the surface 40 and will be reflected to form rays passing back into the recess 12 and striking the side walls 50' of the recess 12 and also the forward or inner wall 54 of the recess 12 whereby these walls of the recess will be illuminated for giving the sign a threedimensional effect at its symbols.

The preferred method of making the sign is to begin with a sheet of transparent material for the sheet 10 and which has flat forward and rearward surfaces. Next, the rearward side is coated with the layer of opaque material 16, which is preferably a paint or lacquer, next the back side of the sheet of material 10 is engraved to form the symbol recesses 12. This cuts away the paint 16 at the same time.

Next, a reflection member 30 is put into place with its forward reflection surface 40 extending across the open entrance to the symbol recess 12.

FIGURE 4 shows a prior art way of making a sign in which a sheet of transparent material 70 is provided with symbol recesses 72. Thereafter the back of the sheet is provided with a coating 78 on all portions thereof except the recesses 72. Last, a coating of paint 80, a different color than the coating 78, is painted onto the walls of the recess 72 to form a symbol. It will be seen that this method involves a very careful application of the paint coating 78 to prevent paint from entering the recess 72, thereby involving a considerable expenditure of costly time.

It will be further seen that the sign of FIGURE 4 has the disadvantage that its symbol recess 72 has only a coating of paint 80 for reflective effect.

The sign of FIGURE 3 will be found to have a very unusual lighting effect because light from the reflective surface 40 striking the walls 50 and 54- will not only pass therethrough and out through the front of the sign at its forward side 50, but will also reflect back against the surface 40 once more and then again out against the Walls 50 and 54 whereby the brillance of light at the walls 50 and 54 becomes multiplied.

There is even a light reflection between the walls 50 and 54 themselves as adds to the illumination of these walls.

As thus described, it is believed to be clear that this invention has provided an unusual new and effective sign of greater beauty and attention-getting effect and which fulfills the objects above set forth including the achievement of economy in its manufacture.

The reflection member 30 can be of polished metal in natural colors, or it can be polished metal with an artifical coloring, or the member 30 can be of fluorescent material or of luminescent material or material of other highly reflective character such as bright paint.

As thus described, it will be seen that a sign of unitary construction is provided in which the reflection member 30 has its light reflective surface 40 disposed closely adjacent to the transparent sheet in surface contact with the opaque layer 16, and in which the light reflective surface 40 is spaced from the walls of the recess 12 to reflect ambient light through the recess 12.

The space between the transparent sheet of material 10 and the light reflective surface 40 is substantially free of opaque material, whereby frontal light shining through the transparent material 10 and striking the reflective surface 40 will be reflected to form rays passing back into the recess 12 and striking the walls of the recess 12 for causing the walls of the recess to be illuminated.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a sign constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use, by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention can be changed and modified without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

I claim:

A sign of unitary construction comprising a sheet of transparent material having an elongated recess in its backside forming a symbol, a layer of opaque material disposed against the back of said transparent sheet and covering portions of said transparent sheet which are adjacent said symbol recess but not covering those transparent sheet portions which define said symbol recess, and a reflection member having a light reflective surface of high light reflective character disposed closely adjacent to said transparent sheet in surface contact with said opaque layer and extending across the entrance to said symbol recess and spaced from the walls of said recess to reflect ambient light through said recess, the space between said transparent material and said light reflective surface being substantially free of opaque material whereby frontal light shining through said transparent material and striking said reflective surface will be reflected to form rays passing back into said recess and striking the walls of said recess for causing the walls of said recess to be illuminated.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,556,636 19/1925 Schulz 40-434 1,568,954 1/1926 Boedtcher 40135 2,652,652 9/1953 Lasko 40136 X 2,261,578 11/1941 Bauer 40136 X FOREIGN PATENTS 603,999 10/ 1934 Germany. 625,038 1/ 1949 Great Britain. 71,630 2/ 1916 Switzerland.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner. JEROME SCHNALL, Examiner. 

